Gay erases 44-year-old 200 mark

ZIZ Sports…May 17 2010 – American sprinter Tyson Gay broke a 44-year-old record for 200 meters on a straight track as part of his drive to challenge Usain Bolt for sprinting supremacy.

Gay ran 19.41 seconds into a slight headwind Sunday on a specially constructed track in Manchester, England, shaving 0.09 off the mark Tommie Smith set in May 1966 on a straight cinder track at San Jose State.

Smith was at the Great City Games to watch Gay set the record, which isn’t an official world mark because track and field’s governing body recognizes only 200s run around a curve.

“The last 20m I was extremely tired. Kim Collins [the St Kitts and Nevis former world champion] had a great start and I think that motivated me. If he wasn’t beside me, I don’t think I could have done it. He had an excellent start and that was pushing me.”